Rabbis and Rabbinical Students in your Congregation

RRC produces rabbis who can meet the needs of congregants, introduce new ideas and new thinking—and help attract new members. When you engage with a rabbi or student rabbi from RRC, you encounter a person who is:

Creative in forming spiritual community. Reconstructionist rabbis can create a great variety of experiences in prayer and community spiritual practice. They also facilitate healthy group dynamics and help inform religious decision making.

Knowledgeable about Jewish sources, resources and texts. Reconstructionist rabbis are immersed in classical Jewish texts and can help your members dive into traditional and contemporary sources. They model lifelong independent learning and help others pursue it.

Ready to lead in social justice work. Reconstructionist rabbis and rabbinical students understand that congregants want to make a real difference in the world. They stand ready to help members identify their deepest priorities and to lead them in activism and advocacy.

Expert in nurturing interfaith understanding. Our outstanding Department of Multifaith Studies and Initiatives equips rabbis to build bridges and lead in forming the interfaith alliances that are so important to congregants today. Because of our specialized field work and courses in this area, Reconstructionist rabbis often start their careers with interfaith networks already in place.

Proficient from day one. Reconstructionist rabbis are prepared and confident because they train thoroughly to lead rituals, provide pastoral counseling, create communities and understand group dynamics. We place our rabbinical students in a wide variety of work environments and provide extensive supervision—which means that even while they’re in training, RRC students can jump into all sorts of projects, able to bring knowledge, fresh ideas and unique perspectives.

Innovative and grounded. Our core curriculum emphasizes how Jewish life has evolved over time in response to each era’s challenges. Because students and graduates have immersed themselves in the texts, philosophy and literature of the past, they understand how the Jewish community has continually changed and must continue to change in order to stay relevant. They apply ancient wisdom to today’s questions and challenges.

To inquire about working with a Reconstructionist rabbi, contact Placement Director, Rabbi Joel Alpert at 215- 576-0800, ext. 304 or jalpert@reconplacement.org. To find out more about working with an RRC student, contact Rabbi Annie Lewis, Director of Rabbinic Formation, at 2015-576-0800, ext. 125 or alewis@rrc.edu.

This three-part family education series addresses issues related to bar/bat mitzvah. It is designed for a large group of parents and students and uses active learning exercises. It covers issues around Jewish identity, the meaning of bar/bat mitzvah, and common concerns that parents and students have about the process.

“Fail Forward” is the mantra of entrepreneurs. Take risks. You will fail, guaranteed. Learn from it. Once a little smarter, boldly launch again. Entrepreneurs believe, as Robert Kennedy did, “to achieve greatness, you have to fail greatly.”